Missing Scenes: Season 6
by AuroraBraelinVonHaus
Summary: This is where I will collect my thoughts on scenes that I thought would have been cool moments in the show for all you Caskett fans. Ratings will vary.
1. Chapter 1

**Missing Scenes: 6x01**

**Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Castle, but don't I wish.**

As Agent Beckett and her partner arrived on scene, she tried to keep a neutral face. Kate was still trying to prove herself to her superiors _and_ to her partner, who was more like the ice queen than anything else. Hell, she was still trying to get used to a partner who was female and… _mature. _There was something nice about having a partner who wasn't trying to get into her pants all the time, and yet,it made for some long days without her significant other following her around. She missed him pulling on her pigtails.

The first thing she saw was the car, in the public transit shelter which littered the pavement with shards of glass. She looked around, taking it all in as they approached another Agent. "That Bronson?" Agent McCord asked. Beckett couldn't help but focus on the glass crunching underfoot for a sliver of a second before mentally slapping herself.

"That's him," Hendrix replied.

"What about the hardware module?" Beckett asked.

"It's not in the car."

"Anybody riding with him?" McCord added.

"Yup."

"Girlfriend?"

"Nope." Hendrix turned towards the flashing lights of the ambulance and pointed. "That guy."

Beckett turned to look and saw Castle sitting in the back, being examined by a paramedic. _Oh crap,_ was her first thought, followed by a wave of embarrassment. Castle was like a child a mother couldn't control while at a toy store, half the time. Still, he was amazing and made her heart race for no reason on any given day. Today, there was a reason, and it wasn't good. She could feel the sense of impending doom.

"You've got to be kidding me," McCord grumbled, peering around Beckett's shoulder at the writer.

"You know what? I-I'll deal with him -"

"No. You've already had your chance." Beckett turned to look at her, feeling an argument creeping up from the back of her throat, but it was lodged there. _Still trying to prove myself._ And then, there was Castle. "Hendrix, please place Mister Castle under arrest." The irritation in her tone spoke volumes to Beckett. She wanted to offer up an apology, but none came. _Bitch._

Hendrix glanced at Kate and lightly shrug his shoulders. Orders were orders. _Shit_, she thought again as he moved towards the ambulance. And there was Castle, waving at her like an excited little puppy.

Beckett followed Hendrix over, avoiding the debris along the way. "Hey Hendrix, can you give me a minute with him, first?"

"But, I have orders…"

"I _know." _She couldn't help the irritation in her tone. She had been standing right there. "My fiance was just in a car accident, do you mind if I check on him first?"

Kate didn't wait for an answer before heading to the ambulance. She climbed up just as the paramedic finished with him and sat down. "Are you alright?" she asked, resting her hand on Castle's leg.

He smiled at her, and took her left hand into his own. "I am now," he answered. His thumb brushed over her ring finger, which was absent the ring he had given her. He knew it was hanging around her neck, close to her heart with her mother's ring, but if he had been asked outright, he would have to admit that it bothered him a little.

She knew what was on his mind, and offered him a sad smile. This was harder than she thought it would be; being an agent conflicted with her relationship with Castle, but he promised they could make it work - and they would… somehow.

She noticed the slight wince on his face. He was trying to be strong, to convince her that he was perfectly okay. "No, you're not," she whispered. "I saw the wreck… and the body bag."

"I don't think he died because of the accident. Him dying is what caused it."

Kate looked down at their hands, fingers laced together. No matter how many times they had held hands over the years, it always sparked something in her. A desperate need to be closer to this… this… this _man-child._ His touch was electric, as it was now, even when he was hurt. "Castle…" She ached for him. She craved him. She missed him, even when he was sitting right there in front of her.

"Kate. I'm _fine._"

"I don't believe you." Castle looked at her, incredulous. "Don't give me that look. I know you. You winced."

"I didn't wince."

"You winced."

"I was merely uncomfortable and adjusted myself accordingly," he offered. _Smooth. Suave. Genius. _

Her thumb ghosted over his skin, circling around, causing his breath to hitch for a moment. Immediately, his memory flashed back to the beginning of their relationship. _Best handshake ever._

"Okay. Stop looking at me like that," he muttered, giving in. "The paramedic said I'd be sore for a few days, that's all."

"That's all? You could have been killed, Rick." She looked out the door. "That could have been you in that body bag." It was a hard thought to grasp. She swallowed the lump in her throat, and turned her attention back to her fiance. "You promised me you would stop looking into my case."

Castle recoiled, hand slipping from hers. He leaned back and gazed at her in disbelief. "I did. I… _did_. Kate, I bought salmon for dinner. I was walking home - well, not home-home. Or, yes, home, because really, where ever you are, that's _home_ for me. You are home for me. Look, I was abducted Kate. At gun point, I might add. He forced me into his car, and dropped dead. I swear to you, Kate..."

He was rambling, and his strung together words pulled at her heartstrings. She could see the look in his eyes. It was a glimmer of betrayal. She hadn't meant for her statement to come out as an accusation, but somehow, it did. Maybe it was because she knew that if he had been given half the chance, he'd give into his curiosity and investigate. She wasn't kidding when she said she 'knew him'.

"Castle - Castle - Castle," she tried to interrupt him several times. He was so cute when he rambled, but he would never lie to her about something like this. She reached out and grabbed his hands again. "_Rick!_ Hey. I believe you." She melted, seeing the relief in his eyes. "But… he's here to arrest you." Beckett pointed at Hendrix.

"But I didn't do anything wrong…"

"I know that, but I think you need to convince them of that."

"I'll just turn on the Castle charm," the writer smirked. Beckett smiled and brought his hand to her lips, pressing a kiss to his palm.

"Don't worry," she whispered against his wrist. "I'll get you out."


	2. 6x02

**Missing Scene: 6x02**

Castle sat in the breakroom of the FBI headquarters with his sleeve rolled up past his elbow. A man sat across from him, syringe in hand, which the writer eyed wearily. He wasn't a fan of needles, never was, though there was the one time when he was a little boy, and he thought they were so cool. He'd dress up like a doctor and go around with his fake needle, injecting his mother with random things that only made sense to a child. Then came the day when he had come face to face with a real one and they weren't so fun anymore.

He looked away as the doctor loomed over him, bringing the needle ever closer to his arm. This wasn't the first needle he'd had in the last few hours, and it wasn't going to be the last, either. The skin surrounding his veins was already bruised, but compared to what was happening within his body, he could forgive the doctor his brutality (he wasn't brutal at all, but that was just what Castle wanted to think).

It was over as quickly as it had started. Funny how that worked. The anticipation of the needle was the worst part. He held his breath, needle extracted, and accepted the task of holding the cotton ball to staunch any blood that might escape. Castle cleared his throat.

"How is your breathing now, Mister Castle?" the doctor asked.

"It's beginning to hurt, but it's bearable," he replied.

Agent Beckett stood outside the breakroom, looking in with her arms crossed. She didn't realize it at the time, but she was taking him in. Memorizing him, wishing she hadn't wasted four years of her life evading his advances on her. A subtle remark here, a handhold there, a whisper of "_Always"_ in her ear. Always didn't seem to have the same meaning anymore. It was a promise about to be broken, and it tore her to pieces. He promised, and she believed him. She promised, and he believed her.

He was getting his shot, and she couldn't help the slight cringe. This was her fault. Well, it was really his, but she felt the weight of it on her shoulders. _Castle_. Her Castle. Her thoughts backtracked to the fallen dominoes that brought them to this point. His proposal. Her acceptance of the job in DC. All the times they had been there for each other. Witty remark, after witty remark chipping away at the bricks of her 'wall'. Allowing him to become her partner, and then become more than her partner. This was all her fault, however indirectly.

He was embedded in her very soul, and she trembled just thinking about what this case could do to them. It was beginning to sink in. He was slipping through her fingers like grains of sand on a windy day. She couldn't stand the thought of waking up in the morning and him not being there. Granted, that was sort of their relationship now with him being in New York and her in DC, but she had the knowledge that he was there. Alive. Living. And he was merely a phone call away. He was _there. _

And now, in a few short hours, he wouldn't be. He was supposed to be her one and done. He was the Alexander who saved her, in more ways than one. He's saved her life, yes, but he's also saved her soul and taught her who she was without her mom's murder hanging over her head.

After the doctor finished packing up his things, he dismissed himself, leaving Castle in the briefing room alone to dwell on... _things. _He was scared. Facing his mortality in such a way was scarier than standing in front of a bomb, clutching Beckett's hand. At least there, she was with him. Now? She hardly was - and there was nothing wrong with that. She was trying to save his life, but he couldn't help the selfish feeling in his gut. He wanted her there with him, to offer him some support.

To show a little emotion.

She was trying to be strong for him. The writer knew that. He couldn't help the conflicting feelings swirling around inside him, mingling with the toxins that were going to kill him.

The doctor had been perfectly blunt with him; he knew what was coming, and the bottom line was, he didn't want to face that alone. He sat there, _alone_, unaware that Beckett's eyes were on him. He sighed to himself and rolled down his sleeve in what could only be considered a way of distracting himself. It didn't work. As soon as his sleeve cuff was rebuttoned, his thoughts drifted back to Beckett.

He wondered if she would be okay. He wondered if she would take care of Alexis like she promised years ago. He had only hours to live, and he wanted her. He deserved to kiss her one last time, to hold her, to drink her in. He deserved it: after the hell he had gone through for her, he didn't want it to end when his last thought of her was wondering what was _really_ going through her mind.

Sighing, he stood up and numb fingers grabbed his blazer. He swung it on and turned to leave the break room. He should see where the investigation was. Maybe all his selfish thoughts were for nothing.

As he was about to leave, Castle saw Beckett retreating into the bathroom, a hand hastily wiping at her face. The door closed behind her, and the writer looked around. He approached the woman's washroom door, and shoved his hands in his pockets as two FBI agents walked by. He nodded politely to them. Seeing the coast was clear, he opened the door.

First, he looked to see if there were any other women in the washroom. All the stalls were empty. But then... Beckett? He heard her sobs first, the struggle to breathe through the tears as they poured down from her face. _Oh, Beckett. _She was sitting on the floor, slumped against the wall. Her legs had felt like jelly. Her body slowly lost its resolve to not break down.

Castle didn't even realize it, but his hand traveled to the lock of the door and sealed themselves in. Beckett's eyes snapped up upon hearing the bolt slide into place. _Castle. _If it was possible, the look on her face was even more defeated. She was caught in her moment of weakness by the very man she was trying to hide it from.

Castle could count on one hand how many times Kate had cried - in front of him, at least. "Kate," he whispered, taking an urgent step towards her.

"No, Castle," she cried, scrambling clumsily to her feet. Her hands hastily rubbed at her eyes. _Fuck. _She moved to the mirror to compose herself. Castle descended upon her faster than she had ever seen him move. His lips crashed against hers, hot and needy. Kate's back collided with the same wall she had sunk down earlier.

_"It's time to say goodbye," _Kate had once said to him.

_"Kate - no."_

_"Rick, you promised to help me with something when the time came. This is it."_

He wasn't ready then to say goodbye, and he wasn't ready now. They were just getting started. She told him that. Him, the biggest believer in fate was having trouble reconciling with how cruel it was being to him. Usually, his dreams came true. But this... It was a nightmare.

"I'm sorry, Kate," he breathed against her cheek. It brought more tears to her eyes and he tenderly reached up and wiped them away. "Don't cry." _Don't shed tears for me. _Now that he saw it, he didn't know what to do, say or think. His hand reached up, cupping her cheek, and she tilted into it, wanting more, aching for more. Always more. _Always._

"I can't believe this is happening," she whispered after many long moments of just _being_ with him, standing in a locked washroom. They weren't racing to tear each other's clothes off. Just the feel of his hand on her skin - that was love, and it was more tender than any lovemaking.

"We should probably talk," he said softly. "We should probably say our good-"

Kate brought her hand up, silencing him with a finger to his lips. "Don't. I am not going to say goodbye to you, Rick." He loved the sound of his first name tumbling from her mouth. She rarely used it, and only when she did was she serious. "I won't. I can't." She opened her other hand between them, and Castle looked down. Her engagement ring rested in her palm, accompanied by her mother's ring and a dangling necklace. "You're supposed to be my _one and done._" It was a whimper, and he had never heard her sound so disheartened.

She brought her teary eyes back up to his, noting the redness there. He was fighting back his own emotions. Kate always brought out the best and the worst in him. "Is this what you think Fate has in store for you? For _us_?" No, she was never a believer in Fate, but surely, there had to be something out there. She would believe if it would make things right. She'd believe in the possibility of magic if it meant she'd find it. All she needed was a tiny vial - the antidote. "We've survived so much more than this. Please… don't say goodbye."

"Kate…"

"Richard…" More tears that said just that: _goodbye. _"There's still hope."

"Kate…" Castle shushed her, cooed her to be silent for a moment. "I know there is, and I know you. You'll do everything you can, and I understand that. I am _grateful_… but…"

"No buts, Rick…"

"_But…_ we need to be realistic. We need to talk about '_What if_'." He reached into the inside pocket of his blazer and pulled out five envelops. Each with their own individual name on it. Ryan. Esposito. Mother. Alexis. Kate.

Kate's heart sank at the sight of them. Inside those envelops were his goodbyes. Heartfelt words from a man who knew how to swing them. "No…" she wailed.

"For if it happens," he informed her, slipping them back into his inside pocket. "I need you to know… just how much I love you. We don't say it enough."

"I know, Rick. I love you, too - more than you could possibly know. And that's why I am not giving up." Her eyes went hard with newfound resolve. "You're my one and done." Period. End of story. Her lips teased his for a second before the kiss intensified, breathing her own faith into him. He had to believe it with her. He was going to be okay. She was going to fix this, whatever the cost.

There's no one else for her.


	3. 6X03

**Missing Scene: 6x03**

**A/N: Thank you very much for the reviews thus far! I do intend to write a little something for each episode that airs this season, and I might even backtrack to the previous seasons. Caskett = LOVE  
**

_"Kate, you're one of the best agents I've ever worked with, but I am here to tell you you're fired."_ Agent McCord said.

Castle looked over to Kate, seeing the devastation in her eyes. It was written all over her. One moment, he had been so proud of her for honoring the victim, and the next, he had Kate's broken pieces on his hands.

"So, I'm going to need your badge and gun." There was something apologetic on McCord's face, but Castle didn't care. He was more focused on Kate, who nodded her head in an automatic response, and with the mobility of a robot, went to the dining room where her coat was draped over the back of one of the chairs. She reached into her pockets and pulled out both items.

Kate suddenly felt numb. She wandered back towards the door and dropped the items into McCord's outstretched hand. "It's been a pleasure, Kate," the agent said, offering up a sympathetic smile. All Kate could do was nod her head, and offer a smile back.

Castle cleared his throat, hand still on the door knob of the open front door. _Get out_ went unsaid, but it was implied. He couldn't help but be territorial when it came to his fiancé. She was extraordinary, and right now, she was hurting. He could see it.

McCord turned to him. She wasn't one to miss her cue, and then she was gone.

Kate looked down at the key in her hand. Their DC apartment. What a waste. She couldn't even look at Castle, and she moved to sit down on the couch, fiddling with the key. She leaned forward, resting her arms on her knees, mesmerized at how the light caught the key at certain angles.

Castle closed the door and moved towards her. He knew her. She was wounded, but she had to have known that this was a possibility. He sat down on the coffee table in front of her. Truth be told, he was actually a little relieved. Somehow, this seemed to solve their problems.

"I just…"

"I know," he whispered, his arms slipping around her.

"I'm sorry, Castle. This is such a waste." Kate held up the DC apartment key. "You were about to change your whole life for me. You were about to sacrifice a lot for me." And he never asked her for anything in return except for her love, which he already had. She knew she took a lot from him. "Maybe this is for the best."

"What do you mean?" he asked, pulling back slightly.

"You've always been there for me, Castle." Her hand deftly carded through his hair. "Even when I didn't want you to be." Even though he was okay now, she could still picture him on the grass, as pale as a corpse as his own life drained from his body. "Maybe this is what I deserve."

"Kate, you didn't deserve to get fired for doing the right thing," he assured.

"Maybe not, but I suppose it is karma."

"Why, Beckett, are you believing in the possibility of magic?"

"Shut up, Castle," she laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Look, Kate. If I wasn't willing to give you everything, I wouldn't have proposed. I would have done – I would _do_ – anything you ask. If it meant going to DC with you, or staying in New York, I don't care. _Home_ isn't always a place. It can be a person."

Kate smiled. "You backed me up without knowing my play," she whispered familiar words in his ear. Yes, McCord had been her partner for a short while, but she was no substitute for Castle.

"Always."

They sat in companionable silence for a few minutes, before he took the key from her hand and set it down on the table with a soft clink. "What are you going to do about that?" Kate asked, eyeing it.

"I don't know. Sell it, sublet," he shrugged. He didn't need to decide right at that very moment. "But I know what I want to do about something else," he said, standing up and pulling her with him.

"Oh yeah?" she grinned, following him towards the bedroom.

He pulled her close, his lips drawn to hers like magnets. "My favorite position is _in person_, too."


	4. 6x04

**MISSING SCENE: 6X04**

**A/N: Thanks again for the reviews guys! I really appreciate them! I'm not exactly happy with this chapter, and I might write another missing scene for 6x04, because who doesn't like Castle!whump? XD**

* * *

"_She's unstable. You need to get out of there. Now."_

He was about to argue with Kate, and tell her that Emma wouldn't hurt him. He'd been advocating for her since before he entered the dental office, and he wasn't about to stop now. She was a fan. She wasn't going to hurt him. Before he could get in another word, he heard the cocking of the gun. His body tensed as he slowly turned towards their captor with his phone still to his ear, but he did as he was told, and did not say another word to his fiancé on the other line. He wished he could squeeze in a quick 'I love you', or an even quicker 'I'm sorry', because it looked like Beckett had been right the entire time. When it came right down to it, he didn't know if his number one fan would hurt him or not.

"_Castle?" _He could hear Kate's voice in his ear. Oh, how he so wanted to say something to her right then. Even if what she said wasn't reassuring, her voice certainly was. "_Castle? What's going on?"_ The worry in Kate's voice made him break apart inside. He had told her he had already reached his 'stupid quota' for the day, but apparently there was always room for a little more stupid.

"_Rick?"_

"Hang up," Emma ordered.

He looked down at the phone, Kate's picture splashed across the screen. Even if it was an older picture, it was still nice to see her face one last time before his thumb hit the end call button.

* * *

"Castle?" Kate called into her phone. She looked down at it. Call ended. She cursed. Loudly.

"Yo, Beckett?" Esposito called from behind her.

"Something's wrong," she told the boys. "I could hear her on the other end, and she… I don't think Castle can talk her out of this one." Kate bit her bottom lip and glanced back towards Captain Gates.

"Where you going?" Ryan asked, watching her head towards the precinct Captain.

"To tell her… Castle is now a hostage. You guys should go back to the precinct; keep digging," she suggested, even though she didn't work for the department anymore. They were kind enough to not point it out _then_ – not when her attention was so divided between the case and Castle.

* * *

Fifteen minutes go by.

Kate stood outside with the rest of the tactical officers. She felt so useless. She didn't have a badge or a gun anymore, and part of her can't help thinking that if she hadn't been fired, she wouldn't be there right now to support Castle. He'd be in there, and she probably wouldn't even know about it while she was working in DC. Somehow, that seemed to be the silver lining.

She didn't know when she had begun pacing, but she did. Her eyes drilled holes into the pavement as she crossed her arms and her thumb twisted the engagement ring on her finger. She focused on her breathing, because the anticipation was beginning to kill her. Every passing second was killing her slowly. _I'm kinda looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you._

No. She needed to have faith, and place her trust in Castle. He could do this; she just needed to be patient.

And then, the unmistakable gunshot sounded through the street. Kate's head snapped up. She felt like she had been punched in the gut. Did Castle push too hard? Less Emma, if a hostage had been shot, there was a 25% chance that it was Castle.

"All units, full breach. Go, go, go!"

There was a moment of hesitation. She didn't have a badge, gun or vest. There was no way she would be allowed inside, following the officers who did have all those things, but no one was watching her, and she took advantage, following the tactical leader into the building, with only one thing on her mind. _Castle, Castle, Castle. _No, she didn't need any of the tools of the trade. She was perfectly willing to jump into the fray without any of those things. She'd do anything for Castle.

"We're gonna need the EMT, right away!"

Kate stepped through the threshold of the door. One man had his hands behind his head, Emma was also on her knees, but there was Castle, lying on top of glass shards, and he was so still.

_No._

Fear raced through her body, crawled up her spine and constricted her airway, but she rushed forward, his name escaping her lips as she dropped down to her knees next to him. "God… Castle!" _Give me a sign,_ she mentally begged, her hands reaching out the touch the warmth of his cheek, praying that his warmth did not leave him, willing him to cling to her strength. There was no blood, she noted, but she barely had time to register it.

"CHEESEBURGERS!" Castle cried out suddenly, startling Kate and everyone around her, but relief washed through her like a tidal wave when his eyes opened. _Thank you, God._ A big smile graced her lips as she helped him to sit up. She looked at the bullet, punctuating the 'I' in WRITER, in roughly the same location she had been shot.

She remembered telling him he wouldn't need his vest when their partnership first began. She remembered expressly thinking she would never let him endanger his life. She remembered the weight of responsibility she felt to ensure Castle returned home every single night to his family.

_When did that change?_ She idly wondered. At what point did she let him start diving in with her?

She couldn't resist the overwhelming need to feel him in her arms. She'd express her gratitude to the universe later for letting her keep him. Her hug, however, was unwelcome, and Castle cried out in pain. "Aagh! Chest! Ohhhh," And he was relieved when she let him go.

Kate looked at him, immediately sorry for causing him more pain, but she wouldn't be sorry for having him in her life, still. He proclaimed it hurt, and she couldn't disagree with him. "Yeah, well, getting hit by a projectile traveling at a thousand feet per second is gonna _sting_ a bit."

"Yeah, that's gonna leave a mark," he grimaced.

"All that matters is you're okay now."

"Oh, I'm better than okay, Beckett. I know who the killer is."

How can he be thinking of the case at a moment like this. There is a bullet lodged in his vest, just short of his heart, and it's going to leave a bruise the size of a watermelon – maybe a small water melon. What if that bullet had gone higher? _What if_ they weren't having this conversation right now?

Her look of relief turned into something that wasn't. Perhaps it was disappointment mixed with confusion, but it wasn't at all to do with what she was feeling. _He was okay._ And that was all that mattered to her.

* * *

Detective Beckett was back, and there was going to be a celebration at the Old Haunt for her return to the force. Castle kissed her, after realizing that their professionalism didn't need to kick in until tomorrow morning. He could handle that. His arms wrapped around her body, despite the massive ache in his chest. He should have been at home resting, but he had wanted to see this case through, and now, there was a joyous occasion to be celebrated.

She moaned into the kiss. It was passionate. She nearly lost him today, and he hadn't even acknowledged it. He moaned into the kiss, too, but that was partly because she was squeezing too tightly and partly because it was _her_ and she felt good.

Kate released him, inching backwards to look at him. She saw the pain etched on his face, but he wasn't looking at her. He wasn't acknowledging it. What happened to the baby she nursed back to health when he broke his kneecap? She swallowed the lump in her throat, her fingers brushing at his hair, because it was a very soothing motion, both for her and Castle. She opened her mouth, but he beat her to it. "I'm fine," he said.

She didn't believe him, but she followed him to the elevator, anyway.

* * *

The Old Haunt was packed, and Kate mingled with the many different officers who congratulated her on her job. She didn't drink, though, many people offered to buy her one or two, which normally would have been generous if the drinks weren't on the house already.

Come to think of it, where was Castle? The last she had seen him was when Sully slapping him on the back after an ill timed joke, and the look on her fiance's face told her everything. He was in pain, and he was fading. Now, he was nowhere to be found.

She looked around, scanning the crowd. "If you're looking for Castle, check the basement," Ryan hinted.

"Thanks," she replied and set off to find him. Entering the basement, she came to a stop at the bottom of the stairs when she saw Castle sprawled on the couch, his chest rising and falling steadily. She came to sit down on the edge of a cushion, and the dip of the couch roused him. "Hey," she said, smiling.

"Hi."

Kate noted his hand on his chest. It wasn't merely just resting there; there was something protective in the way it was. "How're you feeling?"

"Fi-"

"Don't say fine."

"Awesome, then," he chuckled.

"God, Castle," she hissed back at him. She looked at him endearingly. How she loved this man who pushed all of her buttons at once, she would never know. "Your 'stupid quota' has hit an all-time low."

"It wasn't my fault, Kate. I was getting through to her, and that _idiot_ went all Bruce Willis on me."

She never wanted to hit him more. Anger and love coiled within her, but for a second, she wondered who her anger should be directed towards: Herself, or Castle. "What happened?"

"They were fighting for the gun, waving it around. It ended up pointed towards the other hostages," he shrugged slightly. "I made a grab for it, put myself between it and the receptionist and…" he motioned to his chest absently.

Kate was silent for a moment, and she looked away from him. She could still hear the gunshot, and the gut-wrenching fear that it was him who was down, only to see that her fears were well founded, because it _was_ him.

He looked up at her. "I almost died today," he whispered, and that brought her attention back to him. "And I'm sorry."

"Rick. Do you have any idea what that was like, seeing you on the…-" She stopped talking when she noticed the look he was giving her. "Yeah, I guess you do know what that is like. I'm sorry. That was a poor choice of words, Castle."

She sighed, and he looked at her, watching her every movement. Castle pulled at her sleeve, hand finding hers, fingers linking together. She was wearing his ring, and that made him smile when he saw it.

He sat up, struggling to do so, but he planted his lips on Kate's nonetheless, indulging himself. "Kate," he whispered against her mouth.

"Mmm?"

"I know this is your celebration, and all… but…"

"It's okay, Castle. I want to go home, too."

"But, not the zoo that is my loft," he smirked.

Kate shook her head knowingly, grinning. "No. I'd like to wake up at a decent hour tomorrow, not an ungodly one." She rose from her spot at his side and extended a hand to him. "Here, let me help you."

"I got it," Castle muttered, wincing heavily as he attempted to get to his feet.

Kate stepped back and watched this brave, brave man. Her heart was swelling as she let him try to keep whatever dignity he thought he had left. He couldn't quite make it to his feet, though, and slumped back, breathing heavily. Kate merely stood back, watching, but oh how she wanted to reach out to him again, extend her hand and have him take it.

"Okay, I think I might need some help," he admitted, his ocean blue eyes connecting with hers.

She saw the apology in them, but something more. It was etched all over his features. He felt pathetic and she didn't know how to fix that for him. She helped him to his feet without a word and wrapped her arm around his waist for support. They began their _slow_ trek back up the stairs and said their apologies to their friends before hailing a cab and heading towards Kate's old flat.

* * *

They arrived, paid their fare, and stood outside the door to Kate's apartment. Part of Richard wanted to question why she still had the apartment when they spent most of their time at the loft. They had only come back a handful of times since Kate had been fired from the FBI.

Castle leaned heavily on the wall outside the door as Kate fished her keys out from her jacket pocket. His chest felt like it was on fire. The paramedic had been correct in saying that it might not feel like much at the moment, but give it time and it was going to feel like he had been shot in the chest - which, he had been, and now that he could feel it, he understood.

He couldn't believe how tight his chest felt, and how much it hurt to simply breathe. He didn't know how much time had passed, but the door had clearly been open for a while, and Kate was simply staring at him, her hand on his arm. "Hey, are you okay?"

Castle nodded.

"You're lying to me," she challenged, fixing his collar for no good reason. "But, I forgive you." She wrapped her arm around him, guiding him into the apartment, and towards the bedroom. "Seriously, Castle, you're not looking so hot."

"I'll try not to let that statement bruise my ego," he replied, but Kate could tell that most, if not all, of his attention was merely focused on his breathing and placing one foot in front of the other.

She let it slide. "Almost there," Kate murmured, nudging open the bedroom door with her shoulder. She sat Castle down on the bed, and knelt down before him. He was sweating. "I really wish you had let the paramedics take you to the hospital, Castle. At the very least, you should have been in bed all day resting, not at the Old Haunt partying with the others."

"Kate."

She looked up at him, expecting an argument about to hit her like a freight train, but it didn't come.

"Berate me later."

She swallowed down the lump in her throat and pushed his jacket off his shoulders. He let her. The cuffs of his shirt were next and he held out his wrists one at a time. He watched her, though, when she began to unbutton his shirt. The bruise that tainted his skin caused her breath to catch, and he noticed it. "God, Castle." She had no other words, just a sinking feeling at the pit of her stomach. He almost died today.

Esposito was right. Just an inch higher and it would have been a tragedy.

She leaned forward, her lips brushing across the epicenter of the bruise. It was a feather light kiss, and she had no idea what possessed her to pay homage to the ugliest thing she had ever seen on her fiance, but she supposed it was for the same reason Castle kissed the ring of puckered flesh between her breasts.

Castle's lips parted. Kate pulled away with a quick, "Sorry!"

"No, it was nice. Tingly."

Kate smiled, and finished undressing him, going so far as to remove his boxers. She tucked him in bed, her hand running through his hair after his head hit the pillow. "I love you, you know," she told him.

"I know." His voice was gravelly, and already he was on the edge of sleep. "Not as much as I love you, though."

"Oh, I don't know, Castle. I'm pretty sure I could take you."

With that, she shed her clothes in record time and crawled into the bed with him, pressing her naked body against his, needing to feel every inch of him, to feel him breathing. _Alive._ "Just saying," Castle muttered, "I love you more."

"Really?!" Kate cried, lifting her head to look at him incredulously. "You're going to start that argument now? Though, really, who am I kidding. You're the one carrying on with the 'Who liked who first' while I was standing on a fucking bomb."

"Mmm," he wrapped his arm around her, "you liked me first. Totally."


	5. 6x04 TAKE 2

**Missing Scene: 6x04 II**

They kissed, which was widely inappropriate for their location, but she wasn't officially back until tomorrow. If Beckett was okay with it, then he was okay with it, no more questions asked. He didn't need to be told twice to kiss his fiance.

The night seemed to crawl after that. The Old Haunt had been a good time, and there was plenty of alcohol to be consumed, but neither Castle or Beckett touched a drop, instead sticking with water for him, and Ginger Ale for her. The last thing she wanted was to show up to work the next morning with a hangover to rival hangovers, if the amount of drinks and toasts she had been offered was _any_ indication.

* * *

They entered her apartment. It was stuffy, so, Kate went to open some windows to air the place out. She pulled sheets off of the furniture, and went about making the apartment habitable again while Castle settled down on the couch, and even that was too much movement for him. He was unaware of Kate's disappearing act into the bedroom to change the bedsheets until she came back a couple minutes later.

She went to the fridge, opened the freezer, and cursed. "I don't have any ice," she growled across the kitchen to the living room and began to rummage through the shelves for an ice tray to fill with water and put into the freezer.

"I don't need ice," came the rough reply.

Kate rolled her eyes, slamming the freezer door shut. "What're you saying? Of course you need ice, Rick. You've been _shot_ for fuck's sake."

"_I said _I'm fi-"

"You're fine. I heard you the first time, and you know what?" Kate came out of the kitchen and stopped just short of the couch with her hands on her hips. "I didn't believe you then. What makes you think I'll believe you now?"

"I don't know, Kate. I would have thought _my word_ counted for something." He looked up at the ceiling. Really, anywhere would have been better than looking at Kate. She'd be able to see everything reflected in his eyes. He felt like a child, and though on most days he _acted_ like one, this was different. He was a grown man, and he didn't need to be coddled, or taken care of because of the ring on her finger. He could take care of himself. In fact, he _did_ take care of himself, and he thought he did a pretty damned good job.

If Kate had had her way all those years ago, and he had taken that vest back, he'd be a memory right now.

"Why are you being a jackass, Castle?"

"Excuse me?!" he cried, shifting in his seat to get a better look at her, but winced horribly when he twisted his torso in just the wrong way. There was a fury in his eyes, though.

"You know, when you broke your kneecap, all you could do was _whine_ about it all day long, and bother me at work. And yet, here and now, you decide to what… shut me out… over something that _really_ matters like getting _shot_?"

Castle narrowed his eyes at her and with some effort, rose from the couch. "I really hope you're hearing the words coming out of your mouth. And for the record," he held up his index finger as if that would prove his point, "I was on some pretty powerful medication when I broke my kneecap, so I can't be held accountable for anything that happened. Also, when you took a bullet, you couldn't wait to shut me out, Kate."

"That was a long time ago, Castle. We've moved on from that…" Tears began to well up in her eyes, but she did her best to fight them. She kept her hands down at her sides, willing herself to hang onto her strength for just a little bit longer.

"And yet… here we are, Kate. Full circle."

"Things are different… now…"

"What do you want from me?" he asked. He hadn't made an attempt to get closer to her. He hadn't tried to make some sort of physical connection to her that they both knew would fix this in a heartbeat. "Any other time I voice my…" what was a good word? "... _displeasure_, or _discomfort_, you're the first one telling me to suck it up, and you don't hesitate to compare battle wounds to do it. So, this time, I try to put on a brave face, _for you,_ and that's not good enough?"

Castle scoffed at her. Suddenly, coming to her apartment didn't feel like such a grand idea anymore. He looked at her, and he could feel his heart breaking, but what the fuck did she want from him? He saved the lives of those hostages, and he was suddenly feeling more guilty for that than he should've been.

"You got _shot!_" she cried. "_**Shot!**_" Why couldn't he see that this was different. They were betrothed. They were each other's future.

"I saved the life of that little girl and her mother!" he shot back angrily. "I saved Emma's life, and the lives of everyone else in that office. I don't need you to remind me what happened, Kate." He tore open his shirt, and miraculously, only a couple buttons went flying off. "I was _there. _And unlike you, I won't lie about whether or not I remember it."

Kate couldn't help it. She raised a hand to her mouth, stepping forward when she saw the bruise on his chest. It was dark, and ugly, and so out of place against his otherwise healthy skin. A tear escaped out of the corner of her eye. She looked back up to his eyes and almost recoiled seeing the anger there. "I thought you forgave me…"

"I did…" he rushed, "I _do._ I'm sorry." Castle shook his head slightly, mentally slapping himself for being so stupid to let something like that slip out. "I did a good thing today. I did something that actually mattered to those people - I saved their lives." And he wasn't saying that to boost his own ego, or to make himself seem more important. "You risk your life everyday, Kate. Now you'll understand what it's like for me when you go through that door first without knowing what's on the other side."

Castle rebuttoned the buttons of his shirt that hadn't fallen off and stepped around Kate towards the front door. "Rick, _please…"_

"I did a good thing today, Kate," he stated, turning to face her again, "and _this_ is what I get. An argument over the one time I put other people ahead of myself."

"Rick, wait!"

But he was gone with the slamming of the door.

* * *

Castle had a few minutes head start on her. She had rushed through the apartment to grab her coat and keys, and by the time she reached the elevator, he was already gone, and she had to wait for it to come back up to her.

The ride down to the ground floor had been long, and she was through the doors before they had even opened fully. She ran outside to the sidewalk and looked in the general direction of Castle's loft. There was no way he managed to hail a cab so quickly, but hey, he was Richard freaking Castle, and he was a mystery sometimes, and she had passed a woman in the lobby with bags of groceries in her hands, that maybe… yeah, he really did manage to hail a cab.

_Fuck._

She didn't have her police cruiser, otherwise, she would have abused it, so she did the only thing she could do. She dialed a cab, and sat down on the steps to her building until it arrived.

* * *

She debated whether she should knock on his door or not, and decided not to. So, she shoved her key into the lock and let herself in. Shockingly, there was no Pi on the couch, and the lights were off all through the apartment, except for the office.

Kate didn't question their good fortune of an empty loft and moved towards the lightsource, where she could hear Castle's… breathing. She wandered to his bedroom and faltered in her steps as she saw him sitting on the edge of his bed, leaning forward with his arms on his knees. His chest heaved with each intake of air. She stepped forward, and he looked up at her, shocked, disbelieving, and yet relieved that she was actually there. His eyes were red, and she had no doubt that he discreetly was crying in the cab ride home.

She stepped between his legs, and his arms wrapped around her tightly. His head rested just below her breasts. Her hands ran through his hair lovingly. "I can't remember why we were fighting," she said after a few moments, looking down at the crown of his head.

"You were out of ice," he mumbled against her shirt, squeezing her body tighter to him.

"I don't want to hurt you," she bit her lip as she started to tug her body away from him, but he clutched at her tighter than before. Okay, she wouldn't fight him on this, but she knew the damage was already done. "You did it, you know," she said to him. "You were right. You had to scratch and claw for every inch that I would give you… but you did it."

He stiffened against her.

"You made your way into my very soul, and you're stuck there now. You don't know how sorry I truly am for how I treated you. So, please, don't make the same mistakes I did. Don't shut me out." He looked up at her, complete love and adoration in his eyes. "Tell me how you're really feeling."

"It hurts. A lot."

Her hands continued to comb through his hair, over and over again. "You are a brave man, Richard Edgar Alexander Rodgers Castle." She was so thankful she wasn't remembering the man today. He was right there, in front of her, radiating his warmth towards her in waves. "You did an amazing thing today." She paused for a moment. "I almost lost you… and there was a second there when I just thought I was dying with you. I don't ever want to lose you."

"But… the greater good, right?"

"The greater good," she nodded her head, knowing in her heart that given the chance, they would choose the lives of others over their own.

"Kate?"

"Hmm?"

"Could you do… that trick that you do with ice…" he took her hand and moved it to his chest, "right here? I need you."

Kate smiled, leaning forward to press a soft kiss to his lips while her hands worked at his shirt. She undressed him, and he undressed her. The entire time, she was thinking to herself that he was there, with her, and alive. "I'll run to get some ice from the kit-"

"No need," Castle said, adjusting himself on the bed. He reached over to the nightstand and pulled out a ziplock bag of ice he had prepared when he stepped through the door.

Kate crawled on the bed, grin on her face, gleam in her eyes. She flicked her hair over her shoulder and leaned in to press a more passionate kiss to his lips, her tongue sliding into his mouth easily. Normally, he put up more of a fight, wishing for dominance, but tonight, he knew what she needed, and that was control.

She opened the bag and popped an ice cube in her mouth as she straddled him. His hands gripped her waist as she leaned forward and lightly touched her lips to his chest. After a moment of playing with the cold cube in her mouth, she held it between her teeth and dragged it along the brilliant bruise.

Castle shuddered in a delicious way.

Kate was in control, and both would eventually find their way to relief, in more ways than one.


	6. 6x05

**Missing Scene: 6x05**

**A/N: Again, your reviews keep me going! Thank you so much for them! **

**On another note, I am well aware that this missing scene is very much unlikely (and I promise I'm in the middle of writing a TAKE TWO version), but I still wanted to post it up for you to read. *shrug*. You may, or may not like it. Lol.**

_Too soon._

When Castle had returned to the loft, he wasn't expecting to walk in on Alexis running the final leg of her time at home (where she belonged). And what was worse, he had a feeling she wasn't even going to say goodbye before she left - not that this was actually a goodbye. He'd be able to visit her where ever she went, but he hadn't even considered that, yet. She was just gone, and it was too soon.

He felt his phone buzzing in his pocket, but he made no move to answer it. A thousand bodies could drop from the sky and he wouldn't answer it. He stared longingly at the door where his daughter had just walked out of, the last of her stuff in her hand, and he wanted nothing more than to chase after her and put his foot down, ground her for life. _Something. Anything._

He sat down on the stairs leading up to her bedroom, and it would always be her bedroom. How did it come to this? He had always been there for her. His little Alexis. What he wouldn't give for that time machine right now. He sighed to himself, his hand coiling around one of the bars of the railing. He had no idea when tears started to fall, but they gripped him, and a sob managed to escape from the back of his throat.

His phone vibrated again.

* * *

Kate had called him while she was in the bathtub. She had wanted his voice to soothe her as well as the hot water was doing, but the phone rang, and rang until his annoying voicemail chimed in. _'Hello?' _and she almost fell for it this time. '_Hey! What's going on? Haha, I can't believe you fell for that. You've reached Richard Castle. Leave your mark.'_

She fell for it once. Okay, maybe twice. Okay, three times, but he was just so convincing! "Hey, Castle, it's just me. Soaking in the bathtub... without you." And what a sin that was, she thought to herself as she rolled her eyes up to the ceiling. She loved when she was able to lean against his chest and just relax and let her cares float away. Nothing bad could happen when she was wrapped in his arms. "Call me."

She hung up the phone, and reached to rest it on the counter. Also on the counter was her copy of Deadly Heat, which was dedicated to her. Everytime she opened the book, no matter what page she was actually on, she made sure to look at the dedication _first_ before flipping to where she left off, and everytime she read those words, sharp tingles coursed through her as though Castle where actually there, touching her.

She didn't reach for the book tonight, though. Instead, she was thinking about Castle… and Simon, and the engagement ring sitting on her dresser and… kids.

_'Castle, you want more kids?'_

_'Well, I'd like to have the option.'_

Sure, the option of kids, but Kate didn't know if that was in the cards for her. They would change her life so drastically, and it was already changing with the wedding and her new life with Castle. She sighed to herself and glanced at the book. Maybe one day she wouldn't mind having a daughter and establishing the sort of bond she once had with her own mother. The thought brought a short-lived smile to her face.

Eventually, she hauled herself out of the tub, dried off and put on a loose t-shirt and shorts. She glanced at her phone. No new notifications. _Odd._ Normally Castle would have called her back by now. She called him again, and it went to voicemail. They never went to bed without a phone call on the nights they didn't spend together. And he did say he would talk to her tonight…

Sighing, she grabbed her copy of Deadly Heat and curled up under the covers in her bedroom and began to read.

An hour passed, almost two hours, and still her phone hadn't sprung to life. Kate frowned at the tiny device. She got out of bed, and pulled out a pair of sweats and a hoodie.

* * *

_CRASH. BANG._

Those were just a couple of sounds Kate heard as she came down the corridor to Castle's loft door. She had her gun in her pocket, which, come on, she was a New York cop. Of course she wasn't going to leave it at home, even when she was off duty. Besides, she had a funny feeling she wouldn't be returning to her apartment tonight, anyway.

She pulled it out, breath caught in her throat. The door was closed, but she tested the handle to find it was unlocked. Forcing a deep breath, she opened the door, entering the loft tactically. Gun swinging from one side of the room to the other, she then spotted Castle, and he was fine. "Castle?" she called, begging him to tell her he was doing a lot better than his loft was.

He was sitting in the middle of the living room, arm braced on the coffee table with a hand combing through his hair. He looked like a child when his eyes flicked up to her, red with emotion, confusion and embarrassment. "Castle?" Kate said again, inching closer over the shards of glass that littered the floor. Her eyes continued to warily scan the apartment, even though she felt she knew what this was.

Castle climbed to his feet, using the surfaces of anything he could to keep from falling over. "Kate," he smiled, stumbling towards her. He crashed into her, but she kept them upright. Immediately, she could smell the alcohol on him. "You won't l-leave me, too, right?"

"Rick - what?"

The smile that had been on his face vanished in an instant, and he slipped from her grasp. "Alexis is gone," he announced bitterly. "She just lefffffffft. Wasn't even going to say goodbye, but I caught her before she could leave. Ungrateful li-"

"Castle!" Kate stepped forward. "Don't say something you're going to regret, okay?"

"Why. It's not like she's here to hear it. That's the _problem_, Beckett. She's not _here._"

"I'm here, Castle. She might not be here to hear it, but I am."

"Well, no one invited you, so…" he pointed to the door, and hunted for his bottle of scotch that he left… somewhere. He didn't see the hurt in her eyes, or the flash of anger that quickly followed.

Kate had been down this road before with her father. She knew how to let certain things roll of her shoulder, but she thought Castle had been different. "I told you earlier, Castle, this might be a good thing for her."

"How could living with that… _hippie…_ be a good thing for her?" he growled. "Ah!" he found his scotch, and drank happily.

"And you think getting drunk and trashing your loft is the answer?" He looked around the apartment. Some furniture was upended, and there was glass all over the floor. He didn't care. "I've been down this road before, Castle. No matter how much you think it's going to help you, it doesn't." She inched forward, free hand extended. "Give me the bottle. Come on. I'll tuck you in bed, and you can sleep it off, and we can talk in the morning."

"No."

"No?" she repeated. She watched as he took a large gulp.

"It seems to be helping me just fine, Detective. I'm _fine._" His eyes narrowed at something just beyond her, and he put the bottle down on the dining room table. He weaved his way towards it, and all Kate could do was watch as he pulled out Alexis' laser tag vest. She saw the look of love, adoration and remembrance in his eyes. It was there for a second before he threw the vest down on the ground and began stomping on it, cracking all the sensors.

"Castle!"

"Shut up, Beckett."

She recoiled when he looked up at her.

"Rick, this isn't you. You _love_ Alexis. Please, just stop. Look, I get it. You're angry."

"After everything I've done for her." He sat on the couch, hands in his lap. "How could she do this to me?"

Seeing his defeated face, she moved closer to him and sat down on the edge of the coffee table. "Do what, Castle? Grow up? Because that's all she's doing."

"But…"

"But what? You raised a very smart young woman, and I'm not even sure how that's possible." She hoped for a smile, but she didn't get one.

"I tortured a man for her," he whispered.

Kate swallowed the lump in her throat, reaching her hand forward to touch his knee. '_When it comes to the people that I love, I do.'_ Everyone had a darkness in them, a point where they would cross some unthinkable lines, and this was Castle's. She found it oddly comforting to know that he loved someone so much, and yet unsettling knowing the lengths he would go to. "She doesn't know that."

"I know." And he never wanted her to know. "But, I just wish she would trust me. This… _Pi…_ he's not good for her."

"You can't be the judge of that, Castle. Only Alexis can."

"You won't leave me, right?" he asked again, his eyes searching hers for the answer.

Her hand squeezed his knee. "I think it's safe to say that I've seen you at your worst, Rick, and I'm still here."


	7. 6x05 TAKE 2

**MISSING SCENE: 6X05 II**

**A/N: A short scene. Lol.**

She was gone. Just like that. The door closed and there was such a finality to it. He was left standing there, feeling like a piece of his heart had been ripped out, if not the whole thing. He couldn't help the single tear that managed to stream down his cheek and brought his hand up to his eyes, squeezing them shut to stop any others that might try to fall. There was a silence in the apartment that was so deafening. He looked around, eyes landing on pictures and the tassel that decorated the lamp on the table next to the couch. Alexis' graduation tassel.

It was too much.

He left. And he walked the entire distance to Beckett's apartment, where he knew that she was currently settling into her bathtub with a glass of wine and a good book. Even he had come to accept that she didn't just read _his_ books, so whatever good book she was reading, it was probably something he had never heard of before.

He stood outside her building for a second, wondering if he should allow his dark mood to blacken her doorstep, but he needed her, so much, and for that reason, his feet developed a mind of their own and took him forward until he was knocking on her door. He had her key, sure, but something told him that he needed to wait. He didn't want to impose his mood on her and just invite it in her apartment.

The lock of the door could be heard, and it swung open revealing Kate in a bath towel. "Castle, I was just about to get into the tub," she informed him, "but you are _more_ than welcome to join me," she added in a hushed tone. She stepped aside, inviting him in. He didn't move. She seemed so happy, and he just wasn't. "Why didn't you use your key?"

He shook his head, not having a good answer to give.

Sensing something was wrong, she pulled on his sleeve until she could close the door behind him. All she had to do was look at him, and see that he was about to give in and tell her what was on his mind. "She left. Moved out with… _him._"

"Already?" Kate said, stepping closer. Her arms encircled his waist, holding him against her body tightly. She felt him nod his head. Words usually came easily to the writer, but tonight, he was at a loss.

"She wasn't even going to say goodbye."

"Of course she would have, Castle."

He shook his head. "She was about to leave when I walked in." A long silence settled over them, and he reveled in the feel of her in his arms. "Where did I go wrong?"

"You didn't go wrong. She's just finding her independence now. You raised her just right." Though, she honestly had to wonder about that sometimes. She knew how Castle was with his daughter: he was the most loving father on Earth. Then there were the times when his immaturity seemed to rule his life, and she wondered how that didn't rub off on Alexis.

She rested her head against his chest, listening to the heavy thumping of his heart just beyond his shirt. She remembered how close she had been to losing him recently, and needed to simply _be_ with him to feel like everything was going to be okay. This was one of those moments, for the both of them.

Castle's hands rubbed at the cotton of her towel, and then the skin of her shoulder, laying down smooth circles with the pad of his thumb. It felt so nice, and sensual to her that she felt like she was already a puddle of water.

She had such a calming effect over him, but right then, he needed something from her. He needed to forget, if only for a night, that things were falling down around him. He needed the upside. He needed a reminder that not all was lost; that he had a future with Kate to look forward to. He tilted her head towards him, and his mouth crashed against hers, hot and heavy. She moaned at the intrusion of his tongue.

He forced her backwards until her back collided with the door, hard. His hands were everywhere, seemingly unable to get enough of her. His fingers curled into a fist in her hair, holding her right where he wanted her. He brought his leg up between hers and pressed her body deliciously against the door.

Tonight was about control, and he was taking it.


	8. 6x05 TAKE 3

**MISSING SCENE: 6X05 TAKE 3**

**A/N: Scene at the power plant.**

The room was swimming around him as his life was being strangled out of him through the hands of Ward. Castle couldn't even through a proper punch. He couldn't save his own life, but if it gave Beckett a chance to get out of there, he was more than willing to pay the price. His vision was going spotty, and he couldn't make heads or tails anymore. He heard something, and just like that, he could breathe again, but it was too late. He was falling, and everything went dark for several seconds.

He didn't want to move, but there was a concern working to the front of his mind that was pressing. _Beckett_. Someone nudged his shoulder, and his eyes opened blearily to find that it wasn't his fiancee, but Simon Doyle. He struggled to his feet, hand instinctively reaching to the back of his head where it collided with some machinery rather painfully. His throat hurt, and forcing his voice out felt like he had swallowed a burning hot fire poker.

But… _Beckett_.

He barely registered what Simon was doing there, and in all honesty, he didn't care when Kate wasn't there at his side - perfectly alright. He moved to the area where she had gone down, knocked out by Ward, only to find that she wasn't there…

_Where? _

He looked around, frantically, but Simon was talking, and oh so distracting. "Drop your weapon!" Even Castle started at the sound of Beckett's voice. "Hands in the air." He and Simon turned, and he had to mentally restrain himself from raising his own hands, something he didn't hesitate to do when she cuffed him in the bedroom. He'd surrender to her any day.

Beckett's eyes flicked to Castle for a brief second, satisfying her need to know that he was okay. With the weapon, or whatever it was, turned over to Castle, Kate reached behind her and produced handcuffs. "Turn around," she growled at Simon. The time traveler protested, but gave in when he realized Kate wasn't going to be lowering her weapon any time soon.

She cuffed him so he wouldn't escape this time, and turned to Castle. She tipped her head to the side and wandered in that direction, Castle following her cue. He glanced back at Doyle once, and when they rounded a corner, Kate turned to look at Castle. "Are you okay?" she asked in a hushed tone.

"Don't worry about me, Kate. Are _you_ okay?" he reached a hand up, touching the backs of his fingers to her cheek, and she found herself leaning into the simple gesture.

"Just got the wind knocked out of," she offered a reassuring smile, but it disappeared as soon as it appeared. "I saw you…" she breathed. Kate's hand reached up, slightly moving his purple shirt collar. She bit her bottom lip, seeing the reddened skin. She watched his adam's apple bob and her eyes flicked up to his ocean blues.

"I'm sorry…"

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Rick," she murmured, lowering her hand. "You saved my life. Who knows what would have happened while I was down." She let the silence hang for a second before wincing with her next words. "He would have killed you."

"And you."

They both knew how close they had come today to visiting their dear friend, Death, but it was a visit they wanted to put off for as long as possible. Castle fixed a strand of her hair, tucking it behind her ear before pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Let's get this done."

"Sounds good to me."


	9. 6x07

**Missing Scene: 6x07**

**A/N: I know I didn't do a 6x06 scene, but I wanted to get this one out of my head before I forgot it. XD Thanks again for the kind reviews! **

"So," Castle drawled, adjusting himself against the pillows of his - _their - _bed, "are you going to tell me what Alexis said to you?" He knew Alexis had gone in there with the intention of thanking the good detective for working the case with the rest of them, and to him, that was a big step towards accepting Kate as his future wife. He turned a smile towards his betrothed, hoping that she would cave and let him in on the little secret she had kept to herself all afternoon.

"No," Kate mumbled blearily and turned over on her side, facing away from Castle.

"Well, it couldn't have been all bad," he pressed. "She did hug you."

"So? Castle, you're thinking too much. Go to sleep."

"It's just… I need to know where she stands with you Kate."

The shift in his tone had pulled Kate back from the brink of sleep, and she turned over to face her fiance. His brow was furrowed, and he was looking down at his hands like a lost little boy who didn't know what to do. She reached a hand up, dragging it along his jaw, pulling his gaze to her. His ocean blues met her loving gaze. His face was hard, and she understood just how serious he was at that moment. "It's different now," she replied finally.

"What did you talk about? You were both in there for a while, so, I know it was more than just a simple _thank you_. I know I don't have the right to pry into a private conversation, but Kate, these past few weeks have been so hard. I just… I _need_ to know. It's not going to change how I feel about you in any way. Regardless of how she feels towards you."

"Then why does it matter?"

"It just does."

"What if I told you things are good between us? Would that satisfy you?"

"I suppose I have no choice," he responded bitterly and slouched against the pillows. He looked up at the ceiling, adjusted comfortably on the pillows. He sighed audibly, conversation over, but the wheels were still spinning in his mind. The thought of Alexis and Kate not getting along was a hard one to grasp. He didn't know how he could fix it, or how to make Alexis see that he was more serious about Kate than he had ever been about any other woman. And he needed Kate to know that, as well. Surely, after five years, she _knew._

"Castle, you're thinking too loud," she muttered after several minutes and reopened her eyes to peer at him through her thick lashes. She sat up and fixed the pillows behind her. "Okay, fine. She threatened me."

"_WHAT?"_ Castle bolted into a sitting position and twisted to look at Kate.

"Uh, sorry. I should have phrased that a little better. I mean… we had a talk. About you and me, my intentions towards you…"

"You're wearing my ring." He felt that alone should have spoke volumes about her intentions. He sighed after a moment. "And?"

"And, she told me if I hurt you… she would hunt me down. It was all very melodramatic, but I know she is just trying to protect you, Rick."

Castle smiled, his arms snaking around Kate to pull her closer to him. He inhaled deeply, taking in the scent of her shampoo.

"I told her she would have to get in line."

"Oh really?" Castle chuckled. "Are there others in line willing to defend my honour?"

Kate scrunched her brow, and shook her head. "I'm first in line, babe. Always."


End file.
